Blinded by Misery
by Nellie Potter
Summary: From the back of the theatre, Regina watches her daughter. One-shot


**A/N: Well, I've had this little idea in my head for a couple of weeks now and finally decided to type it up. I apologize if it isn't my best work, I typed this at about 2:35 in the morning. **

**I do not plan on continuing this. Sorry if that's disappointing, but this is just meant to be a quick little thing.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own OUaT**

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**Blinded by Misery**

The theatre is dark out in the audience, which is exactly what Regina wants. She doesn't want to be seen. Normally, she would have been just fine with being seen. Let the townspeople know that their mayor is here. Not this time. This time is different.

There is light in the theatre, but only on the stage. Deafening silence fills the air except the occasional tapping from ballet shoes coming from the stage. Regina watches the stage with interest.

Her name is Misery. Not an average name, but Misery loves it as much as she loves ballet. She comes to the community theatre to practice the same routine every day. She wants to get it perfect. Misery is never aware that she's being watched during some of her practices.

Regina is utterly fascinated. The way Misery moves, she's so graceful and mesmerizing. And the similarities don't go unnoticed.

Misery has long hair, the same shade as Regina's. The eyes, dark brown orbs, just like Regina. Their skin color is slightly different, Misery's closer to that of Daniel's. Misery is a little taller than the average thirteen year old by an inch or so, also thanks to Daniel.

There's a sound of a cell phone vibrating. It's Regina's and she quickly takes it out of her pocket and silences the device. Misery has stopped her dancing and is staring out at the audience seats. Even the sound of their breathing can't be heard. Complete silence.

"Is anyone there?" Misery calls out to the theatre seats. It was too dark to be able to tell if anyone but herself was present. "Mom? Dad?"

Regina almost cries. Misery is calling someone else "Mom." It should be her! But Regina doesn't dare to say anything.

Misery's birth had been a miracle and an accident at the same time. It had been nine months after Daniel's death. King Leopold hadn't been around often enough to notice anything and whenever he was around, Regina would hide out somewhere in the castle.

She had never intended to get pregnant, and when the time came for her to go into labor, Regina had gone to seek refuge in the woods. The baby was healthy as far as Regina had been able to tell. It didn't matter though. She couldn't keep the child.

Regina had considered telling King Leopold the baby girl was his. That wouldn't have worked though. She and Leopold hadn't made love- and never would as it had turned out- so Regina was left with only one option: give up the child.

She didn't want to. What other choice did she have though? So the baby girl had been left on the doorstep of a stranger's house in the village in the dead of night.

No one ever found out.

There had been a note requesting that the child be named Misery. Regina hadn't just chosen that name for its uniqueness, but also because the child had been born during a time of misery. Misery's name was symbolic. It made Regina's chest swell with happiness and a touch of bitterness when she found that Misery's name had been kept the same when the Curse was enacted.

Misery begins dancing again and once more, Regina's watching every move as if afraid she'll miss something even though she sees this routine every time she comes to watch Misery dance. The ballet is as elegant and fluid as water. Her daughter is so enchanting…

There's a cell phone's ringtone resonating throughout the theatre. It's Misery's and she immediately stops her dancing. Regina's shoulder's slouch in disappointment, the trance Misery has put her in now broken.

"Hello?" Misery says when she answers her phone. Her voice is so cheerful, as if she hasn't known a bad thing in the world. Regina can just tell that Misery lives a life of lightness and love and that makes her feel good inside.

There was a time that Regina had briefly considered having another child. She had decided wouldn't give birth to one though; she would adopt and love that child in the way that she couldn't love Misery. Then she got Henry and couldn't be happier. She had become a mother again. It isn't time to think about such things in this theatre. Now is the time for Misery.

"Yes Mom, I'm still at the theatre." Misery pauses to listen to the woman who raised her before saying, "Well what time is it? Okay, yeah, if it's that close to dinner time. Pick me up out front. Love you, bye." Misery hangs up the phone and returns to her backpack that is located near the stairs at the edge of the stage.

She takes off her ballet shoes and rips off the tape, hissing quietly in minor pain. She stands up to take off her ballet skirt and then slips on a pair of dark wash jeans over her leggings and the lower half of her leotard before putting on socks and sneakers. Misery zips up her backpack when everything was put away and she carefully reaches out to take hold of the railing.

Regina usually always leaves by this time, but something is holding her hear.

_Hello Misery, we've never met but I'm your mother._

Oh yes, that certainly will go over well.

Regina is standing in the very back of the theatre near the exit. She ignores her fears. She wants to meet her daughter.

When Misery reaches the bottom of the stairs, she feels around for the front row seats and then uses the aisle seats to help guide her down the aisle. Regina surveys this, perplexed. Is it that dark that Misery needs to use the seats to help her walk down the theatre aisle?

Unaware that she had been moving, Regina is now standing a few feet in front of Misery, a little to the girl's left. The girl doesn't seem to notice though. She just keeps walking, hand on the aisle seats. When Misery finally does reach Regina, she accidently bumps into her.

"Oh, I'm so terribly sorry," the thirteen year old apologizes. "I didn't know you were there."

Regina notices how Misery is not looking at her. Regina notes that she's standing a little over to Misery's left side and Misery is instead, looking straight ahead. "That's quite alright," she assures Misery. She just wants to hug her daughter so much, but restrains.

There is nothing said or done by either of them for a few seconds. "Are you the mayor?" Misery suddenly asks and Regina nods, saying, "Yes, I am."

Misery smiles brightly and Regina is instantly reminded of Daniel. Daniel and Misery have the same smile; it's uncanny, uncanny and a little painful. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Madam Mayor. My name's Misery. Sorry to cut this short, but my mom is going to be here any second."

Again, Regina can feel her heartbreak just a tiny bit more when she hears Misery refer to another woman as her mother again. But the mayor stays silent about it. "Of course. Have a nice day Misery and perhaps we'll meet up again sometime." _When I'm confident enough to tell you I'm your mother_.

Misery's smile brightens. "Yeah sure." She feels honored that the mayor of the Storybrooke sounds like she wants to meet again sometime, even if it is for a brief moment such as this one.

The next thing to happen stuns Regina beyond belief.

Misery slips her backpack down her arm and unzips it. She sticks her hand into the dark pink backpack, fishing around for something. She retracts her arm, holding an unknown object in her hand. Misery unfolds the foldable white cane and heads towards the exit to meet the woman she presumes to be her birth mother outside.

Regina watches as her blind daughter walks away.


End file.
